1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an information processing apparatus for performing a setup to control a device, its device setting method, and a memory medium in which a device driver program has been stored. More particularly, the invention relates to an information processing apparatus having means for performing various setups on a device set picture plane which is provided on an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer or the like, its device setting method, and a medium on which its device driver program has been recorded.
2. Related Background Art
In a conventional print system, in the case where the system has a plurality of print set picture planes and a preview picture plane to display set contents of the set picture planes, means for changing the setup on the set picture plane is not provided on the preview picture plane or, even if such means is provided, means for changing the setup on the set picture plane is merely provided. Therefore, if the user tries to change the print setup belonging to another set picture plane, it is necessary to switch the print set picture plane by the operation such as button operation, switching of a tab sheet, or the like.
Such conventional processes will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 1 shows a user interface picture plane of a print setup in a printer driver of Canon Inc. (registered trademark) corresponding to Windows 95 (registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in U.S.A.).
In the diagram, reference numeral 101 denotes a set picture plane switching button and a plurality of sheet names for print setup are shown. In FIG. 1, a set picture plane of xe2x80x9cpage setupxe2x80x9d is shown. As shown at 102, a paper size, the number of output copies, a direction of the paper, a page layout, a stamp function, and the like can be set. Reference numeral 103 denotes a preview picture plane. A print preview is displayed in accordance with the set items set on the set picture plane 102 which is opened at present. In the preview picture plane 103 in FIG. 1, preview set items of xe2x80x9cA4xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cportraitxe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9c1 page per sheetxe2x80x9d are displayed.
In the recent printer driver, there are a variety of print purposes and there is a printer driver having a complicated print setup. To provide a wide degree of freedom for the print setup, a plurality of set picture planes (set sheets) are needed.
To change each set item, the user selects xe2x80x9cpage setupxe2x80x9d by the set picture plane switching button 101 by using a pointing device such as a mouse or the like and switches the set picture plane to the xe2x80x9cpage setupxe2x80x9d set picture plane. The change of the set items can be realized by selecting desired set items as shown at 102 after the switching. For example, when the setup of xe2x80x9cpage layoutxe2x80x9d is changed from xe2x80x9c1 page per sheet (standard)xe2x80x9d to xe2x80x9c4 pages per sheetxe2x80x9d, an example of the print set picture plane just after the setup of xe2x80x9cpage layoutxe2x80x9d was changed is as shown in FIG. 2. The preview picture plane 103 and a print set item 201 show the contents of xe2x80x9c4 pages per sheetxe2x80x9d.
In the conventional print system, however, in the case where a setup is performed on a certain set picture plane, if the user tries to change the setup of another set picture plane, it is necessary to switch the print set picture plane itself including the preview picture plane as mentioned above. Therefore, since the user cannot simultaneously see the setup on the set picture plane before switching and the setup on the set picture plane after the switching, a use efficiency is not good for the user who changes a plurality of setups. It is also necessary to often switch the picture plane in order to confirm the set contents, and the like. There is a problem such that it is difficult for the user to understand the setup changing operation.
The invention is made in consideration of the conventional system and it is the first object of the invention to provide a technique such that in order to provide a print set picture plane which can be easily used and understood for the user, on a preview picture plane of an arbitrary set picture plane, a preview picture plane of another set picture plane is switched and displayed, thereby enabling a print setup on another set picture plane to be easily recognized.
It is the second object of the invention to provide a technique such that, on a preview picture plane of an arbitrary set picture plane, a preview picture plane of another set picture plane is switched and displayed, and thereafter, and a print setup associated with the switched preview picture plane is changed by an operation on the switched preview picture plane, thereby enabling a print setup on another set picture plane to be easily changed.
To accomplish the above objects, according to the invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus which is connected to an external device and performs a setup to control the external device by using a plurality of set sheets, comprising: first setting means for setting various set items on an arbitrary set sheet; and switching means for switching a window to visually express set contents set by the first setting means to a window of another set sheet.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.